Khaosai Galaxy
Khaosai Galaxy เขาทราย แกแล็คซี่ | |
|---|---|
 Khaosai Galaxy in 2012 | |
| Born | Sura Saenkham 15 May 1959 |
| Other names | Sai thaluang-si (ซ้ายทะลวงไส้) "The Left Hand That Drills Intestines"[1] |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Super-flyweight |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 48 |
| Wins | 47 |
| Wins by KO | 41 |
| Losses | 1 |
Khaosai Galaxy (Thai: เขาทราย แกแล็คซี่, born, 15 May 1959) is a Thai former professional boxer and Muay Thai fighter who competed between 1980 and 1991. He held the WBA super-flyweight title between November 1984 and December 1991. He is listed #19 on Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time and named him the 43rd greatest fighter of the past 80 years in 2002.[2] As of 2022, BoxRec rates him as the best Thai boxer of all time, pound for pound.[3]
Muay Thai career
[edit]Khaosai Galaxy, born Sura Saenkham (Thai: สุระ แสนคำ) in Phetchabun province, northern Thailand, began his fighting career as a Muay Thai fighter in the early 1980s. He fought under the ring names Daoden Muangsithep (Thai: ดาวเด่น เมืองศรีเทพ) and Khaosai Wangchomphu. (Thai: เขาทราย วังชมภู). Later, he adopted the name Galaxy from a restaurant and nightclub owned by a friend of his manager.
Renowned for his devastating punching power—especially his soon-to-be-legendary left hand—Khaosai was advised by his manager and trainer to switch to the Marquess of Queensberry rules, and began training in western-style boxing.
He credited his mother as his first trainer. A passionate boxing and Muay Thai fan, she was inspired by the rise of Pone Kingpetch, Thailand's first world champion, who was becoming a national hero around the time Khaosai and his twin brother Khaokor Galaxy were born. Driven by her enthusiasm, she began training her sons from a young age—waking them at 4:00 a.m. to run before school and supporting their boxing journey in every way. Tragically, she died before witnessing Khaosai's rise to world champion.
Boxing style
[edit]Lacking the amateur boxing experience common to most Western professional boxers, Khaosai's skills originally were limited, and he relied on toughness and his fearsome punching power to win. His southpaw style was based on closing his opponent and firing his left hand whenever he saw an opening. His right hand was used mainly to judge the distance for his left.
As he gained experience, Khaosai began to develop into a more refined boxer, learning combination punching to complement his deadly left. His favorite punch, a straight left to the midsection, translates roughly as "the left hand that drills intestines." Incredibly strong, he was never out-muscled, while opponents who tried the traditional stick-and-move techniques found he had quick feet and was able to block their movements.
Professional boxing career
[edit]Khaosai began his international style boxing career in December 1980. He won all of his first six fights, which earned him a shot at the Thailand bantamweight (118-pound) title on 1981 against Sakda Saksuree. He lost on a points decision. It was to be the last fight he would ever lose in the ring.
Khaosai won his next three fights and claimed the Thai bantamweight title in 1982. He won 15 consecutive fights by knockout and climbed in the world rankings to become super-flyweight WBA world champion Jiro Watanabe's mandatory challenger by the summer of 1984.
When Watanabe failed to defend his title against Khaosai, the WBA stripped him and matched Khaosai against undefeated Eusebio Espinal for the vacant championship on 1984. Khaosai knocked out Espinal in the sixth round, beginning the longest title reign in his division's history.
Khaosai defended his WBA title 19 times over the next seven years, winning 16 of his title fights by knockouts. In the mid-1980s, when world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was in his prime and scoring knockouts over everyone, boxing fans nicknamed Khaosai The Thai Tyson for knockout wins.
Khaosai fought only once outside of Asia, when he defended his title in 1986 against unbeaten (and future WBA bantamweight titleholder) Israel Contreras in Curaçao. He had two title fights in Kōbe, Japan, one in South Korea and one at Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia. The rest were in Thailand, where he often fought for purses in excess of $100,000 in front of huge crowds. That, plus the fact that few top fighters anywhere were willing to challenge Khaosai, made him relatively unknown in the West.
In 1988, his twin younger brother, fighting under the name Kaokhor Galaxy, captured the WBA bantamweight title, making the Galaxy brothers (Saenkham brothers) the first twins to ever be world boxing champions.[1]
Retirement
[edit]He fought for the last time on December 22, 1991 in Bangkok, beating Armando Castro over 12 rounds. A few weeks later, he announced his retirement with a record of 47 wins against only one defeat, and never attempted a comeback.
Life after boxing
[edit]Not long after his retirement to the boxing profession, Khaosai chose to take part in the Thai entertainment industry. He first took a shot at the music industry, releasing a single, "Khob Khun Krub", meaning "Thank You", then began taking part in TV series and movies, particularly comedies. His first role as an actor occurred during the TV series Poot Mae Nam Khong (1992 version), which was then followed by Mon Rak Luk Thung (1995 version), The Legend of Suriyothai (2001), and The Bodyguard (2004)[4] etc. In 2005, while he was taking part in a film, he was punched in the face by a drunken fan, who wished to obtain Khaosai's shirt for collection but was denied. The incident made frontline news, which displayed a photo of Khaosai, with a bandage on his face but smiling and standing next to the drunk man.
In 2006, he starred in a music video for a song by fellow boxers Somluck Kamsing and Samart Payakaroon. In the video, Khaosai portrayed a shy man being approached by a young woman.
After retirement, he married Yumiko Ota, a Japanese woman whom he had met during a trip to Kōbe, Japan, for his second fight with Kenji Matsumura in 1989. The couple lived together for only one year before divorcing.
He later married a woman from Buriram, Sureerat "Fah" Saenkham (née Niwesram). Although they had no children together, Khaosai chose to adopt his wife's nephew as his stepchild.[5]
In March 2013, he made headlines again when he unexpectedly married Wannapa "Nung" Kamboonsri before legally divorcing his previous wife. That same year, he became a father for the first time at the age of 54 when his wife gave birth to a daughter.[6][7] In 2016, they welcomed their second daughter at the end of the year.[8]
Today, Khaosai owns two Muay Thai gyms—one in Bangkok[9] and another in Phuket[10]. He also served as Denkaosan Kaovichit's trainer for a one-off bout against Takefumi Sakata in late 2008 in Yokohama, Japan. Denkaosan won by knockout in the second round, becoming the next WBA flyweight champion.[4]
Beyond boxing and entertainment, Khaosai has also dabbled in politics. In the 2007 general election, he ran as a party-list candidate for the Puea Pandin Party but was unsuccessful. Later, in the 2011 general election, he ran for Chartthaipattana Party in his native Phetchabun's 2nd district, but garnered only 8,485 votes and did not win the seat.[4]
Legacy
[edit]Khaosai's unmatched fame helped spark a tradition unique to Thailand, in which politicians or private companies organized world title boxing matches and allowed the public to attend for free. In exchange, the sponsors received publicity on televised broadcasts, had their names announced, and presented gold necklaces or other gifts to the fighters before the bouts.[4]
This tradition began with his ninth title defense at the Crocodile Farm, Samut Prakan in 1989, against South Korean challenger Chang Tae-il.[4]
Also, it was often said that whenever Khaosai fought, traffic in Bangkok eased—because everyone hurried home to watch him on TV.[4]
He was selected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in 1999 and remains a well‑known boxer throughout Thailand. His induction came nearly a decade after his retirement, which was an exceptional honour for an Asian boxer. At the ceremony, the outpouring of admiration was remarkable: fans queued for more than three hours to receive his autograph, and the line included many female supporters who wished to show their respect.[1][4][11]
Professional boxing record
[edit]| 48 fights | 47 wins | 1 loss |
|---|---|---|
| By knockout | 41 | 0 |
| By decision | 6 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Win | 47–1 | Armando Castro | UD | 12 | 22 Dec 1991 | National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 47 | Win | 46–1 | David Griman | TKO | 5 (12) | 20 Jul 1991 | Crocodile Farm, Samut Prakan, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 46 | Win | 45–1 | Je Suk Park | TKO | 5 (12) | 7 Apr 1991 | Samut Songkhram Stadium, Samut Songkhram, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 45 | Win | 44–1 | Ernesto Ford | TKO | 6 (12) | 9 Dec 1990 | Provincial Stadium, Phetchabun, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 44 | Win | 43–1 | Yong Kang Kim | KO | 6 (12) | 29 Sep 1990 | Suphan Buri Provincial Stadium, Suphan Buri, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 43 | Win | 42–1 | Shunichi Nakajima | TKO | 8 (12) | 30 Jun 1990 | Municipality Gymnasium, Chiang Mai, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 42 | Win | 41–1 | Ari Blanca | KO | 5 (12) | 29 Mar 1990 | Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 41 | Win | 40–1 | Kenji Matsumura | TKO | 12 (12) | 31 Oct 1989 | World Memorial Hall, Kobe, Japan | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 40 | Win | 39–1 | Alberto Castro | TKO | 10 (12) | 29 Jul 1989 | Sri Narong Stadium, Surin, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 39 | Win | 38–1 | Kenji Matsumura | UD | 12 | 8 Apr 1989 | Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, Yokohama, Japan | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 38 | Win | 37–1 | Chang Tae-il | KO | 2 (12) | 15 Jan 1989 | Crocodile Farm, Samut Prakan, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 37 | Win | 36–1 | Choi Chang-ho | TKO | 8 (12)[12] | 9 Oct 1988 | Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel, Seoul, South Korea | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 36 | Win | 35–1 | Jun Llano | KO | 3 (10) | 12 Sep 1988 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 35 | Win | 34–1 | Kap Sup Song | KO | 7 (10) | 9 May 1988 | Hua Mark Indoor Stadium, Bangkok , Thailand | |
| 34 | Win | 33–1 | Kongtoranee Payakaroon | UD | 12 | 26 Jan 1988 | Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 33 | Win | 32–1 | Byung-Kwan Chung | TKO | 3 (12) | 12 Oct 1987 | Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 32 | Win | 31–1 | Chung Sup Chun | KO | 3 (10) | 26 Jun 1987 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 31 | Win | 30–1 | Ellyas Pical | TKO | 14 (15) | 28 Feb 1987 | Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 30 | Win | 29–1 | Israel Contreras | KO | 5 (15) | 1 Nov 1986 | Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, Curaçao | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 29 | Win | 28–1 | Edgar Monserrat | TKO | 2 (15) | 23 Dec 1985 | Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 28 | Win | 27–1 | Rafael Orono | TKO | 5 (15) | 21 Jul 1985 | Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 27 | Win | 26–1 | Dong Chun Lee | KO | 7 (15) | 6 Mar 1985 | Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Retained WBA super-flyweight title |
| 26 | Win | 25–1 | Eusebio Espinal | KO | 6 (15) | 21 Nov 1984 | Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Won vacant WBA super-flyweight title |
| 25 | Win | 24–1 | Young Ri Moon | KO | 2 (10) | 2 Sep 1984 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 24 | Win | 23–1 | Val de Vera | TKO | 7 (10) | 11 Jul 1984 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 23 | Win | 22–1 | Jae Sung Uhm | PTS | 10 | 14 Mar 1984 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 22 | Win | 21–1 | Joe Shiranui | TKO | 4 (10) | 14 Dec 1983 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 21 | Win | 20–1 | Gil Ragas | TKO | 7 (10) | 12 Oct 1983 | Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 20 | Win | 19–1 | Park Chan-yong | PTS | 10 | 3 Aug 1983 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 19 | Win | 18–1 | Luis Ibanez | KO | 3 (10) | 10 May 1983 | Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 18 | Win | 17–1 | Jose Luis Soto | KO | 2 (10) | 23 Feb 1983 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 17 | Win | 16–1 | Marciano Sekiyama | KO | 4 (10) | 24 Dec 1982 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 16 | Win | 15–1 | Mun Kyun Joo | KO | 4 (10) | 27 Nov 1982 | Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand | |
| 15 | Win | 14–1 | Willie Jensen | KO | 2 (10) | 13 Oct 1982 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 14 | Win | 13–1 | Adan Uribe | KO | 4 (10) | 26 Aug 1982 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 13 | Win | 12–1 | Agus Suyanto | KO | 4 (10) | 14 Jul 1982 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 12 | Win | 11–1 | Ali Formentera | KO | 5 (10) | 24 May 1982 | Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 11 | Win | 10–1 | Yu-Ok Joo | KO | 4 (10) | 14 Apr 1982 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 10 | Win | 9–1 | Katsuyuki Ohashi | KO | 3 (10) | 10 Mar 1982 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 9 | Win | 8–1 | Sakdisamai Chorsirirat | KO | 7 (10) | 25 Jan 1982 | Bangkok, Thailand | Won vacant Thai bantamweight title |
| 8 | Win | 7–1 | Tsuguyuki Toma | KO | 4 (10) | 14 Oct 1981 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 7 | Loss | 6–1 | Sak Galaxy | PTS | 10 | 29 Jul 1981 | Bangkok, Thailand | For vacant Thai bantamweight title |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Phichitsuk Korusayarm | PTS | 6 | 24 Jun 1981 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Thanee Singchaowal | KO | 1 (6) | 10 Jun 1981 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Tordsakdi Pornthavee | KO | 3 (6) | 13 May 1981 | Rajadamnern Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Prasong Sithkempetch | KO | 1 (6) | 26 Jan 1981 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Sentiang Sithkempetch | KO | 2 (6) | 31 Dec 1980 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Pook Sritam | KO | 5 (6) | 17 Dec 1980 | Bangkok, Thailand |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "'เขาทราย' ทะลวงไส้มวยไทย 'สิ้นมนต์ขลัง' มั่นใจ 'ปาเกียว' เสร็จผมแน่!". Thairath (in Thai). 27 February 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ "Are These Really the 80 Best Boxers Ever?". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on 2017-10-14. Retrieved 2017-12-18.
- ^ "Thai Pound For Pound ratings". BoxRec. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "แฟนพันธุ์แท้ 2013 3 พ.ค. 56 (เขาทราย)". Fan Pan Tae (in Thai). 2013-05-03. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2017-10-09.
- ^ "ย้อนรอยตำนานรัก(ร้าว) ยอดแชมป์โลก 'เขาทราย แกแล็คซี่'". Thairath (in Thai). 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2017-10-09.
- ^ "เขาทราย ยอมปริปาก บอกก็แค่แต่งงานเฉย ๆ เผย เตรียมแถลงข่าว". Kapook.com (in Thai). 27 March 2013.
- ^ "เขาทราย เฮ ภรรยาคลอดลูกสาวแล้ว ตั้งชื่อ น้องไข่มุก". Kapook.com (in Thai). 6 December 2013.
- ^ ""เขาทราย" ปลื้ม! ได้ลูกสาวคนที่ 2 "น้องโอลีฟ" เผยเรื่องน่าทึ่ง-ภรรยาสาวฝันก่อนเจ็บท้อง". Khaosod.co.th (in Thai). 4 December 2016.
- ^ "เขาทราย แกแล็คซี ทุ่มงบ 1.5 ล้านเปิดค่ายสอนมวยไทยยิมส์". Channel 7 (in Thai). 2 September 2014. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- ^ "เขาทราย กาแล็คซี่ เปิดค่ายมวย ที่ จ.ภูเก็ต". Channel 7 (in Thai). 3 May 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- ^ "'เขาทราย' แนะสปอนเซอร์แจกเงินนักมวยแก้ปัญหาทองปลอม". Voice TV (in Thai). 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
- ^ "หวลรำลึก บิ๊กอึ่ง - เอ็ดเวิร์ด ผู้ผลักดันมวยโลกไทย !! (ตอน 5 เรียกข้าว่า..ไอ้จ้อน)" [Reminiscing on Big Ung - Edward, who pushed the world Muay Thai !! (ep 5 call me..Jon)]. Khaosod (in Thai). 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
External links
[edit]
| Sporting positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World boxing titles | ||||
| Vacant Title last held by Jiro Watanabe
|
WBA super-flyweight champion 21 November 1984 – 22 December 1991 Retired |
Vacant Title next held by Katsuya Onizuka
| ||
- 1959 births
- Living people
- Thai male Muay Thai practitioners
- Super-flyweight boxers
- World boxing champions
- World super-flyweight boxing champions
- World Boxing Association champions
- International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
- Thai sportsperson-politicians
- Thai twins
- Sportspeople from Phetchabun province
- Thai male boxers
- Muay Thai trainers
- Boxing trainers
- Southpaw boxers